Lexie blinked fast as she moved into the room, unable to stop her hands from clenching.

The large man felt familiar but also not.

His aura filled the room, his grey eyes settling on her like a judgment. Her nerve escaped her. She felt like he could see right through her, like he was watching the wheels in her brain turn.

What was this about?

Did he figure out that she helped Theo? Maybe they found her card in Jerry's office, but since she'd transferred it to Theo's inventory, it shouldn't lead back to her.

Of course, it would lead back to you. Who else would make a card like that?

It's not illegal, she told herself. Sure, it didn't record as an Earth-made card, and she'd had to use her ambassadorial key, but…

Ok yeah, maybe it was a little illegal, but surely Naem could get his ambassadorial friend to vouch for her…couldn't he?

"Can you give us a second?" Vacek said to Journeyman, who summarily rose and headed toward the door. He gave Lexie a wry look as he walked out, as though to say, 'Can you believe he's kicking me out of my own office?'

Lexie couldn't sympathize with the man, nor was she in the mood for jokes. She felt like she'd been set up.

As the door shut behind her, the air held a certain sense of finality, like this would be the last time the world ever saw her again. The man across from her hadn't done anything yet. She could tell that he wasn't even trying to be intimidating, but it was like her body recognized him as a superior force, like he was the predator and she the prey.

No. I'm not the prey. I have a void card now, and a card that can throw fireballs. I'm not going to let anyone push me around, not even the head of the association.

Then again, she didn't know what exactly his powers were. What if whatever he could do was far superior to whatever she had in her deck?

"I can see the panic in your eyes," Vacek spoke up first. "Relax. I'm not here about your borderline illegal card experimentation or your consorting with the Eldritch."

Damn, how could he tell what she was thinking? Could he read her mind? "You're not?"

"No. Given who your parent are, it would be more surprising if you weren't engaging in those activities."

"What do you need me for then, sir?" she asked, adding the 'sir' at the end because it felt like the only appropriate way to address him.

"I need your expertise," he said.

"What?"

"I'm told you can talk to dungeons."

Lexie cocked her head. "Who told you that? My dad?"

He smirked, and Lexie regretted what she'd just revealed.

"No. It was an intelligent guess based on every single thing I've heard about you. And surprisingly, it has been a lot."

Lexie shook her head. "Then at least some of what you've heard is wrong. I can't talk to dungeons, I can only sense them."

"Have you tried to talk to a dungeon?"

She hesitated, then nodded. "Yes. When Hartville happened, I tried to communicate with one of the dungeons and drive it away. It didn't work."

"Is that the only time you tried?"

Lexie nodded slowly, not wanting to implicate her dad in more trouble.

"Now, that's not true," Vacek said. "Let me give you some advice: you can't lie to me, so it's hopeless for you to even try. This will also go a lot faster if we're honest with each other."

What did that mean? That he could read her mind? Or was he just a human lie detector?

He kept staring, like he could tell the direction of her thoughts, but wasn't going to reveal which answer was more accurate.

"So you tried again and it didn't work," Vacek said. "Have you tried it from inside the dungeon?"

Lexie shook her head. "No? Why?"

"Because that's how the Fae do it. Some dungeons even have inscriptions in their walls from the Fae to ease their communication and reveal paths that only they can access."

The secret levels. Of course.

"I can see that you know what that is."

Lexie didn't even bother lying at this point. "Someone told me about it. A friend."

"I see. And if I asked who this friend was, you would lie to me again, wouldn't you?"

Lexie hesitated, then nodded.

For some reason, that made Vacek smile. "Honesty at last. Good." He rose to his feet. "Let's go."

He said the phrase like an order, like everything had already been settled, while Lexie's mind was still reeling.

"Wait," she called out as he was about to open the door. He turned around to regard her.

"I can't go into the dungeon, " she said. "I already promised my Dad I wouldn't."

Vacek only thought about it for a second before relaying, "What your father doesn't know can't hurt him."

Lexie gaped, indignant and intrigued. "Are you suggesting I lie to my father?" What kind of hero would suggest such a thing?

"I'm suggesting you simply don't tell him about our excursions this afternoon. Will that be difficult for you to do? I didn't think dishonesty was a hard line for you to cross."

That's his way of calling me a pathological liar. Lexie was offended. Well, to be fair, she had lied her ass off nearly every day since she'd come to this school, but still.

"I don't want to keep things from my father anymore," she said. "I told him I wouldn't."

"That's a reasonable promise," he said. "Noble. But the truth is, if you told your father what we're going to do, he wouldn't let you go. And you might never find out what truly happened to your Uncle."

That got Lexie's attention. "What do you mean?"

"I have my suspicions that what happened with your Uncle, there was some sabotage involved. I've traced back some of his correspondence within the association and noticed that he had placed several reports for the UDs in Hovelton that went unaddressed. I also know that he met with Silas Creevy at one point, after he bombed a farm to reveal the underground dungeon, and after that, Hovelton's priority ranking jumped by 6 points."

Lexie shook her head. "I don't know what you're saying."

"Let me say it plainly: I believe your Uncle was blackmailing Silas after discovering evidence of him orchestrating the dungeon disaster in Hovelton. Silas stopped once he knew Max had caught on, and that also coincided with my arrival back on Earth. He managed to hide a lot of things while I investigated him. However, Silas knew that if he wanted to stage another dungeon disaster, then your Uncle would have revealed everything he knew. So he had to get rid of him."

Lexie's heart caught. "You're saying that…Uncle Max got lost in the dungeon…because he was killed?"

"No. I'm saying that whoever had it out for him ensured that he was lost in the dungeon." He met her eyes. "And I think you know who that is."

Lexie shook her head, even as the knowledge grew bitter on her tongue. Waves of disbelief and despair crashed into her.

She'd only just discovered that Uncle wasn't supposed to have died in the original story, and it was her presence here that changed that.

But she hadn't thought she was the direct cause of his death.

She'd helped Max discover the unstable dungeon. If not for that, he never would have blackmailed Silas.

Lexie shook her head, her mind struggling to accept what he was saying. "No. No, that's not what Bane said happened. He said Max stayed behind to fight a bat creature and sacrificed himself for the team."

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"Vulcan's MO is to make things look like random accidents or unlucky situations. I've spoken to one of your Uncle's teammates. From their own mouths, they said that your Uncle had enough time to get out if his trap had worked well, and there's no reason for me to believe that someone as prepared and experienced as Max wouldn't have timed the trap perfectly. None of his teammates were there to see the actual closing of the dungeon, either. They were all chased off randomly by wolves, which was strange because nothing like that had ever happened in the area before. No one else saw what happened. The only people who know are your Uncle Max and the dungeon." He paused for a breath. "So if you're able to communicate with the dungeon, you'll know what happened."

"How long have you known this?" Lexie demanded, her voice a horrified, angry rasp. "That my Uncle's death wasn't an accident?"

Vacek didn't answer. Clearly, he knew he didn't have to.

Lexie's breath passed quickly through her lips. She was suddenly very aware of a chill in the atmosphere and the loud drumbeat in her chest. Her Uncle Max might have been killed by Vulcan. He might already be dead, and if she could speak to the dungeon, then she would know for sure.

Did she want to know for sure? Was she ready to deal with the devastation such news might cause?

"But my Uncle's dungeon disappeared," she said. "Last week."

"That wasn't your Uncle's dungeon," Vacek said. "That was a setup by the man who wants you dead. Clearly, he thought you would be dumb enough to venture inside. The actual dungeon your Uncle disappeared into has only just reincarnated, and I can get it back on Earth soon. If you want, I can take you to it once that time comes."

Lexie could hear the 'if' in that sentence. "If I help you and keep it from my dad, you mean."

"Precisely."

"But being in a dungeon isn't safe for me," she told him. "Dungeons aren't as stable as people think they are. It could close at any moment."

"You let me worry about that."

"Um, I'll be the one risking my life here."

"No, I'll be going in with you." He squatted so that he was eye-level with her. "Neither of us will be risking our lives today."

"What do you mean?"

"I know you lost your memories, but I'm wondering if you remember ever meeting me."

She thought about it. "Once. You came to my birthday party and only ate the strawberry part of the cake."

He smirked. "Yes. I still think your mother specifically gave me that mixed slice just to annoy me. Anyway, we've met a few more times after that. Now I want to ask you, do you know what I can do?"

"My father said you're a triple S-Rank," she said, and he nodded.

"That's right. Part of my magical skill is nullification magic. That means that I can, at will and automatically, nullify any magical attacks sent my way or to those around me. I'm also extremely good at reading pathways, which is part of how I can always tell when you're being dishonest with me. With pathway reading comes pathway manipulation."

"Like what Monty does?"

"Well, mine is a little different from that. He's more attuned towards mind magic and reading auras. I have more of a grasp of the physical pathways and nervous system. I can twist them around to say, knock people out at a few paces away."

Lexie's eyes widened. "Whoa. You can do that?"

"Yes. And that's just some of what I can do. Trust me, no one is coming near you with me around. As for the dungeon, part of my nullification magic does stabilize the dungeon somewhat, so it should be fine."

Lexie was still unsure about this excursion. "How do you know which dungeon my Uncle disappeared in?"

"I like to know everything that happens on this Earth," he said. "So I try to have as many Fae friends as I can everywhere I can, including on the team of Red Tails who control the movement of dungeons to and from Earth."

"I see. So it's not the Eldritch who control that."

"The Eldritch only control the denaturing process. Everything else from that is Fae."

Lexie bit her lip. She wasn't all the way comfortable with this mission, but the fact that Vacek was going to be with her made it better. If he was telling the truth about his powers, then he was the best bodyguard she could have, and he didn't seem like the type willing to take stupid risks.

He had S-Rank intelligence after all.

Lexie nodded. "Okay, I'll do it."

"Excellent." He straightened, and they headed out the door.

"What are the dungeons really for?" Lexie asked as she hurried to keep up with his longer steps down the stairs. "Because I know that the Fae didn't just make it for our use."

He smirked. "You're not at the clearance level for that yet, kid. But don't worry. Knowing you, I'm sure you'll get there soon enough."

"Hmm." Lexie was getting looks as she and Vacek walked across the courtyard toward the main gate. It was still early, so most of the students weren't back yet, but the few who were, and those who'd stayed on campus over the break, were staring at her. One person's jaw basically unhinged. Another did a double-take.

Astrid was walking in with a ton of bags, self-rolling behind her, and she tried to send Lexie signals of inquiry, which Lexie simply shrugged at. Lexie thought she also saw Rufina, who looked very smug, as though she thought Lexie was going to be punished.

Lexie guessed that was what most people thought from Vacek's serious expression. She wondered if Torin was somewhere around the courtyard or if he was still in his tower. Likely the latter. Regardless, this news would reach him soon, so it wasn't like Vacek could kidnap her without consequence.

If this was all a trap, she knew the Firebringers and her dad would come after her, and combined, they would probably be able to defeat Vacek.

Once they were out of the premises and on the trolley, Lexie asked, "Why can't we just use a teleportation orb to get out of here?"

"The forcefield won't allow it," he said. "It's part of the protective measures on campus."

"So there's no way to get in and out, except through this trolley?"

'Precisely."

"What happens during an emergency?"

"Emergency measures are activated, and more access points are created." He stared at the window and picked a lint from his pants. "How well do you remember your mother?"

Lexie was taken aback by the abrupt switch in topic. "Not very well. I dream about her sometimes, but…" But these days her dreams had been occupied by Naem, and she hadn't had time to dream about much else.

Vacek sighed. "That's a shame."

Lexie suddenly felt guilty. "Did you know her very well?"

"Yes. She was one of my secret soldiers. Did a lot of work for me in the Shadows."

"Assassin work?"

"Sometimes," he admitted, and Lexie was startled to hear him admit it so readily, like he wasn't telling a twelve-year-old that her mother killed people for him. "She was a very important person to me. Her work was vital in maintaining balance."

"How?"

"The Hero's Association, as you can probably tell, is messy. It was messier before I came into power, and certain people are invested in bringing back the old system and the old regime. At the moment, it's a house of cards that one could topple with a single gust of wind. Several secret forces were holding it up, and your mother was one of them."

Lexie frowned. "I don't understand."

"I know. One of these days, after we become more familiar, you will."

Lexie was even more confused by that. Why would they become more familiar? What was he trying to tell her here with that weird conversation? Why did he bring up her mother?

She doubted he did it just to reminisce, because he didn't seem like the type to get emotional even if someone close to him died. He didn't sound super emotional about Lara's death either, even though he said she was someone 'important' to him. The way he spoke, he sounded like he was talking more about a tool than a person.

Lexie remembered her father's warnings about Vacek. It was a similar warning he'd given about the Eldritch and not using human morality to judge them.

Vacek did not seem all that human.

Holding that much power definitely could change someone.

You've changed.

Lexie suddenly pictured Xena's worried expression when she told Lexie those words, but she shook it away. That wasn't the same thing. Lexie had a reason for what she was doing. She wasn't just searching for power for its own sake. She needed the power because she was under threat. She couldn't reveal all of that to Zee yet, but once Vulcan was gone and she managed to suppress her Eldritch, she would go back to regular Lexie.

After they got through the forcefield, Vacek finally brought out two orbs. He activated the runes, and the runes appeared on the floor before swirling through them. Suddenly, they were travelling through a portal which opened up in a remote forest.

Lexie saw the dungeon portal, and Vacek glanced over at her, then started in that direction.

Lexie took a deep breath before she followed.

The inside of the dungeon was cold and cave-like, like every other dungeon she'd been in. Lexie also felt the supernatural chill in the atmosphere.

"What are you looking for?" she asked Vacek.

"I want you to communicate with the dungeon first. If you can, then I'll tell you."

"Alright."

Lexie licked her lips nervously, then placed her hands on the cold surface of the cave.

She closed her eyes and reached out with her soul and her mind.

Vacek was right. Though the dungeon still felt weak, the signal was stronger from inside than outside. She could almost hear a whispering in the wind, and the more she concentrated on searching for the dungeon core, the louder it got.

She went deeper.

The whispering got clearer.

She began to get a real sense of the soul of the dungeon, the taste of it, the smell of it. It wasn't her soul line, she knew that much. There was no instant connection, no common ground she could feel.

But suddenly, without warning, a scream sounded in her ear and an image flashed in her mind.

Lexie ripped her hand back.

"What is it?"

"I saw something."

"What did you see?"

"There's a man. He was…" It was hard to articulate. It hadn't been a clear image..

"Good. Keep going."

"Are you going to tell me what I'm looking for now?"

He nodded. "This is the reincarnation of the first dungeon that turned from stable to unstable. At least I think that's how it happened. The Red Tails have stabilized it now, but I believe all the problems we're facing start here. Someone destabilized this dungeon, controlled it, and used it to control other UDs. I want to find out who and how."

"Wait, someone is controlling the dungeons with another dungeon?"

"That's my best guess from everything I've discovered. I didn't even know that was possible before, but it looks like it is."

Suddenly, Lexie remembered something her father had said, about the Fae not being able to control unstable dungeons, and only being able to direct stable dungeons to a general area.

He'd also started saying something about what it would mean if someone could control a dungeon, but he'd cut himself off before he finished.

Now, Lexie knew why.

If they could control the dungeon...then that meant that she could learn to do that too.

That would help her find her Uncle Max quicker. Was that what her father didn't want to tell her? Was it why he choked on the words?

"Does my dad know about this?" she asked Vacek, feeling oddly betrayed that Aiden had never told her about this possibility. She'd been trying her best to be as honest to him as possible, yet he was still keeping things like this from her.

Before Vacek could speak, there was a rumble coming from inside the dungeon.

Vacek was instantly on alert.

"I thought this dungeon was already raided," Lexie asked, her voice a fearful whisper.

"Me too, but it looks like we have company," he said. "You keep talking to the dungeon. I'll take care of it."

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